The present lot is related to Gerard Dou's Self Portrait of 1645 in the Rijksmuseum and Rembrandt's Holy Family of 1646 in Cassel, where the paintings are likewise partially covered by a feigned curtain. Curtains were indeed used in 17th century Dutch collections to protect paintings from light and dust; it seems to have been Dou who first depicted such curtains to create both a repoussoir and a trompe l'oeil, and to illustrate the classical story of how Zeuxis was deceived by the curtain partially covering a painting by Parthasios. (See Stilleben in Europa, exh.cat. Münster)

Only one other painting by this artist is known, which is signed and dated 1655 (photograph recorded in the R.K.D.)

We would like to thank Marten Jan Bok for having provided us with the information concerning the attribution

The group of figures is based on Goltzius' unfinished engraving dated 1615 (Hollstein VIII no. 15)

See illustration